Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$ (106)	$ 232
Adjustments to net income (loss):
Depreciation and amortization	538	539
Loss (gain) on disposal and sale of business interests	(59)	27
Impairment expense	1,345	208
Deferred income taxes	(73)	54
Loss on extinguishment of debt	19	41
Loss (gain) on sale and disposal of assets	20	(40)
Gain on remeasurement to acquisition date fair value	(212)	0
Loss of affiliates, net of dividends	46	2
Other	263	23
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(120)	(30)
(Increase) decrease in inventory	7	(46)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	(13)	33
(Increase) decrease in other assets	8	(75)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other current liabilities	(292)	(81)
Increase (decrease) in income tax payables, net and other tax payables	(439)	(67)
Increase (decrease) in deferred income	(307)	39
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	(21)	(39)
Net cash provided by operating activities	604	820
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Capital expenditures	(999)	(962)
Acquisitions of business interests, net of cash and restricted cash acquired	(81)	(84)
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses and Interests in Affiliates	58	44
Sale of short-term investments	316	341
Purchase of short-term investments	(258)	(463)
Contributions and loans to equity affiliates	(173)	(178)
Other investing	(8)	(59)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,145)	(1,361)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under the revolving credit facilities	998	1,318
Repayments under the revolving credit facilities	(932)	(958)
Issuance of recourse debt	7	1,597
Repayments of recourse debt	(7)	(1,596)
Issuance of non-recourse debt	700	1,913
Repayments of non-recourse debt	(939)	(763)
Payments for financing fees	(12)	(46)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(129)	(99)
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests	(17)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	95	0
Issuance of Preferred Shares in Subsidiaries	151	0
Issuance of preferred stock	1,015	0
Dividends paid on AES common stock	(200)	(190)
Payments for financed capital expenditures	(4)	(39)
Other financing	(44)	21
Net cash provided by financing activities	682	1,158
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(4)	(37)
Net Cash Change Of Discontinued And Held For Sale Businesses	62	(45)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect	199	535
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning	1,827	1,572
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, ending	2,026	2,107
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized	406	458
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds	372	176
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Non-cash consideration transferred for the Clean Energy transaction (see Note 18)	$ 99	$ 0